How to handle routines?

A

assdfd513213

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For example
- eat vitamins
- drink protein supplements
- (daily habit)
- exercise 1.5 hours

How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
 
assdfd513213 said:
For example
- eat vitamins
- drink protein supplements
- (daily habit)
- exercise 1.5 hours

How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
Click to expand...
I agree with @GTDengineer. If it doesn't matter don't do it. Life's too short.
 
assdfd513213 said:
For example
- eat vitamins
- drink protein supplements
- (daily habit)
- exercise 1.5 hours

How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if you NEVER complete them? In that case, I agree, why bother?

If you mean that one or two failures don't matter, that's different. To me, that means that you want a habit-building strategy, but it doesn't need to be too strict, because the stakes aren't huge.

Possible habit-building strategies:

- A daily checklist. I would have this separate from your main GTD lists, because I think it's likely to introduce clutter to those lists.

- A physical/visual reminder. You could get one of those weekly pill sorters, fill it with vitamins once a week, and keep it by your toothbrush to remind you to take the vitamin when you brush your teeth. The sorter tells your sleepy mind whether you've already taken today's, and whether you've forgotten earlier days.

Of course, this means you have to remember to fill it once a week, which may require another habit-building strategy. Or, since it's just once a week, maybe you do put it in your GTD lists, since that reduces the clutter.

For that matter, you could buy four pill sorters and fill them every four weeks, further reducing the reminder clutter--though now the extra sorters make physical clutter.

You could craft a similar visual reminder for the protein supplements.

- A scheduled habit. The exercise could be blocked off at a specific time on your calendar. Just as you have lunch at a particular time every day, you exercise at a specific time. I would only use the calendar for things that take up a significant time, not one-minute things like taking vitamins.
 
I have something like this in the Tickler File facility of my system:
butterfliesandletters-1024x1024.jpg
One sheet for each routine. Once done, I mark the respective boxes, ad notes etc

Then I re-tickle towards the day I want to do that routine again.
 
My personal experience is that some things, like taking vitamins, quickly become habits, and do not need to be tracked or tickled. On the other hand, I do need a daily reminder to process email, because it’s too easy to forget during a busy day.
 
assdfd513213 said:
How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
Click to expand...
I have them as projects until they are habits that are set in my mind. So until they are firmly set I keep them as projects with both start and due dates to try to nudge me into the formation of the habit.
 
I bucket these as habits not projects. Exercise gets a hard calendar block because it eats 90 minutes. Vitamins and protein are softer, pill case by my toothbrush, protein scoop sits in the blender. If I miss a day, I don’t backfill, I just restart next cue. For stuff that should happen on a date, I use a recurring reminder with a soft due and a monthly review to reset if life explodes.
Lately I’ve been using a personalized vitamin plan in an app that adapts monthly, sends dose reminders, and recommends third-party supplements with timing and break cycles. Keeps it simple without cluttering my task list.
 
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assdfd513213 said:
For example
- eat vitamins
- drink protein supplements
- (daily habit)
- exercise 1.5 hours

How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
Click to expand...
All day events on calendar
 
Another way to mechanically handle this sort of thing is to have a checklist sheet in the day's Bring Forward file. Take it out each morning, and when it's completed or at the end of the day, put it into tomorrow's Bring Forward file. It could have a matrix of checkboxes or whatever on it, if you like.
 
Roger said:
Another way to mechanically handle this sort of thing is to have a checklist sheet in the day's Bring Forward file. Take it out each morning, and when it's completed or at the end of the day, put it into tomorrow's Bring Forward file. It could have a matrix of checkboxes or whatever on it, if you like.
Click to expand...
What is a Bring Forward File? Where is this concept/tool from?
 
GTD usually calls it a "Tickler File", but in a footnote says "Also referred to as a 'suspense', 'bring forward', or 'follow-up' file.":

Setting Up a Tickler File You need forty-three folders—thirty-one daily files labeled “1” through “31,” and twelve more labeled with the names of the months of the year.
Click to expand...

The idea being you throw something like a "Halloween Decoration Ideas! list" into the folder for October and not worry about it until then.
 
Roger said:
GTD usually calls it a "Tickler File", but in a footnote says "Also referred to as a 'suspense', 'bring forward', or 'follow-up' file.":



The idea being you throw something like a "Halloween Decoration Ideas! list" into the folder for October and not worry about it until then.
Click to expand...
I find that certain GTD-friendly apps with both start dates and due dates make a paper tickler file unnecessary. I used to use one when paper played a bigger role for me.
 
I've been facing this problem lately.

A few weeks ago, I used my homemade 2-row, 7-column table to track a habit I wanted to develop in the next 7 days, ticking off when I finished and × when I didn't. But I found that this effect was really good at the beginning, but it was actually difficult to maintain it in the long run, especially when I wanted these habits to be able to do every day.

I now tend to stick with the form I just mentioned, but at the same time, I'm ready to try to turn the habits I want to do every day into things that I can do on autopilot, and I'm trying to minimize the resistance to doing those habits.

For example, I want to practice my instrument every day, and I plan to take it out and put it in a conspicuous place so that I can get it at hand.

This is also a "fool-proof mechanism", for example, if you want to take vitamins, then you can put it on the doorknob, so that you will inevitably take vitamins before you go out, etc.
 
assdfd513213 said:
For example
- eat vitamins
- drink protein supplements
- (daily habit)
- exercise 1.5 hours

How are you dealing with items that don't big matter much even if you don't complete them?
But actually it should do on specific date...
How do you handle those?
Click to expand...

Good GTD solution that has:

Habituable ?
Highly Adaptability ?
Low/No-Big Deal Investment ?
'Total'-Control ?
Trust-Worthy ?

Doing-Daily 3" x 5" Index-Card(s) at appropriate Entrance(s)/Exit(s) Where Doing(s) is 'Locally' Done
?

Ps. Go Bananas . . . in a good way . . . with room Entrance and Exit hooks for those with multiple Rooms and/or Floors

As you see GTD fit. . . .
 
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I use a habit tracking app for those recurring things that are never "done". I use the app with the hope of a Sinfeldian thing developing. I track how well I do, and it goads me into continuing on, with its badges and such. I still need to get beyond the first coupla weeks to lock it in more permanently.
 
assdfd513213 said:
thank you
how do you complete mark on calendar?
Click to expand...
just an idea. Create a calendar named DONE. Choose its colour. Whenevr an event was done, move it to that calendar (open the event and click the calendar name, change its).
In Outlook simply create a DONE category, and whenever done, change it. (I use greay colour for the DONE category - works fine). at a glance you see the yet outstanding tasks/events. (especially useful for whole day events).
 
One thing I'm having success with is keeping my routines tracker in the location where I do the activity. I use something thick for a backing, so I can write on it. My backing is about 1/4 of a letter-size page.

This particular routines list is a daily list for a two-week period. I make a wide column on the left where I list the routines, and I make narrow columns on the right for each date. I enter the dates in a header in the top row. When a task is done, I enter a checkmark in the appropriate intersecting cell.

I use a binder clip to attach the routines list to the backing. I leave a blank space at the top of my routines list to fit under the binder clip, so the clip does not overlap the text. Some items occur less often than daily. In that case, I circle the appropriate cell(s) and cross out the other cells in that row. Any editing can be done on the original, so it does not need to be done again.

Once I have created the original routines list, I photocopy a bunch of them at a time. I stack the copies of my routines list and attach them to the backing with a binder clip. I keep the pen attached to the backing by the pen clip. When the copies run out, that triggers me to photocopy more routines lists.

The list does not need to be changed, unless I want to add or delete routines. In case this might happen, it is good to keep a template or copy of the final original blank list before entering any routines on the list.

This particular routines list is for my bathroom. I like to have the supplies needed in the bathroom, instead of having to get them when they run out, which can be inconvenient. I also include a few tasks I want to get done in the bathroom.

This works well for me. I don't need to think about it at all until I see my routines list in my bathroom, and then I can't help noticing it. Then I do the tasks. It a nice break from other things. It feels good to check them off, and they do not take long.

At times I get involved elsewhere and neglect to do the tasks, but my system is flexible. No big deal. I will be triggered when I see the routines list and am less pressured by other things, or when the supplies run out, or when the tasks need to be done, and I can start over then.

I like this because it works for me. I don't have anything else set up like this yet, but it might work for other areas of my home too. It is so convenient for my routines list to be right there where I can do the routines when I see the list. I am one of those people who is likely to forget to do something unless it is visually present in front of me, so this works for my organizing style.
 
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